476 M. Edmond Bordage on 
LV.— Phenomena of Autotomy in Phasmide belonging to the 
Genera Monandroptera and Rhaphiderus. By HKpMonpD 
BorDAGE *. 
Tue islands of Réunion and Mauritius possess two splendid 
Phasmide belonging to the genera Monandroptera and 
Rhaphiderus—M. ‘nuncans, Serville, and f. scabrosus, Serv. 
(Monandroptera spinigera, Lucas). 
In the case of the former species the female is apterous and 
attains a length of 20 centim. by 25 millim. in breadth ; its 
colour is brown or grass-green, ‘The mate, which is greenish 
grey or green and less clumsy in shape, does not exceed 
17 centim. in length by 18 millim. in breadth; it possesses 
very rudimentary elytra, of the colour of the body, and fauly 
long wings tinged with pale rose and brown, and having an 
opaque green margin, 
The dimensions of the specimens of Lhaphiderus scabrosus 
are considerably less ; the female, which is brown or a magni- 
ficent grass-green, attains a maximum size of 8°5 centim. in 
length by 11 millim. in breadth and is devoid of wings. 
‘The male, which is likewise apterous, assumes a brown hue 
and resembles a little twig. It is but 6°5 centim. in length 
and does not exceed 5 millim. in breadth. 
A few months ago, having succeeded in obtaining a few 
of these curious Orthoptera, | inadvertently left a Monandro- 
ptera upon a laboratory table. A moment or two later the 
insect, which was lying upon its back, had lost its two front 
legs, and I found to my astonishment that I was confronted 
with phenomena of autotomy, brought about by two specimens 
of Plagiolepis longipes, Forel. (‘This is an ant which belongs 
to India, and was introduced a few years ago by means of 
ships into Mauritius and Bourbon, where it has invaded the 
dwellings on the coast.) The severance was produced between 
the femur and the trochanter t; the cut was as clean as 
* From the ‘ Comptes Rendus,’ t. cxxiv. no. 7 (Feb. 15, 1897), pp. 378- 
381: from a separate impression communicated by the Author. 
* The trochanter and femur, instead of being united by an articulation 
allowing of their movement one on the other, are, on the contrary, fused 
together. It was only after I had discovered the phenomena of auto- 
tomy that I noticed this fusion, which is, however, indicated by a little 
groove. After autotomy the portion that still remains attached to the 
body comprises the coxa, united by the arthrodial membrane to a little 
ring or cushion, which is nothing but the trochanter separated from the 
femur by the neatest of circular fractures. This fusion, therefore, of the 
trochanter and thigh, or femur, strongly reminds us of that which we 
observe in the crabs between the basipodite and ischiopodite. 
—— 
